John and Janis Hovel and their children established The Triumph Fund in February 2013. John Hovel passed away in August 2014 after being treated for metastatic colon cancer over a period of four years at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. He wanted his friends and family members to celebrate his life by continuing the Triumph Fund and its main fundraising event, the Honoring the Lorax Dinner.

To date, nearly $125,000 has been raised through the Fund to support the work of the MCW Clinical Trials Office and cancer research at the College's Cancer Center.